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Our take on the XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

Waterproof foam baffles from XTC fit behind speakers to keep them clean and dry. They compress easily to fit the installation, and form a mounting seal that can reduce panel vibration. Use these speaker baffles along with a Dynamat kit when you install your new speakers, and you'll enjoy improved sound and performance.

Waterproof foam baffles from XTC fit behind speakers to keep them clean and dry. They compress easily to fit the installation, and form a mounting seal that can reduce panel vibration. Use these speaker baffles along with a
Dynamat kit when you install your new speakers, and you'll enjoy improved sound and performance.

These baffles will protect your speakers. In many applications we recommend that you cut a hole in the bottom of the baffle, or remove the entire bottom of the baffle, to maintain good bass response while still protecting your speaker from dirt and water damage. Call one of our Advisors if you have questions — they'll be happy to share their expertise with you.

Keep your investment dry and safe.

These foam cup fit the contour of my speakers and speaker mounts perfectly (2006 Honda CRV). They also clear the power window aparatus in the down position. The foam cup eliminates the need for the speaker gasket.

Pros:Shelters the speaker from the water that runs through the door. Fits the speaker perfectly and eliminates the need for the speaker gaskets.

Cons:

0 of 0 found this helpful

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

I wanted to use these for a set of Rockford Fosgate 6 1/2's for my 2003 Honda Odyssey, but after countless cutting and trimming, I was unable to. I imagine these work best for custom speaker housings rather than factory holes.

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0 of 0 found this helpful

Cut a HOLE

Good protection from dirt and moisture. Make sure to cut a hole big enough for air to pass through about 1 inch or bigger in diameter on the bottom of the baffles otherwise there will be not enough air to move the woofer cone to have a good bass. The baffles will create a vacuum if there is not enough air passing through resulting in less bass response.

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

Used these on my front door speakers in my'08 Colorado. Will be putting them on the rear set as well. Really helps with door distortion and projects sound into the cab. For just a few bucks, I highly recommend giving them a try....

Crisper sound after baffles were installed.

These baffles when installed with Kenwood KFC-1665S speakers in the rear door panel muted the distortion caused by bare metal behind the speakers in a Chevy HHR. Sound was crisp and clear after the baffles were installed.

May not be needed.

I had 2 issues with these. 1) The door holes for the 6.5" OEM speakers were ~7". These did not fit well. 2) They reduce the size of the chamber behind the speaker, thus raising the resonant frequency of the assembly. My Polks are not known for their bass. The last thing I want to do is make them have less bass.
Since the inside of my 1.5yr old Ford Fusion was virtually clean and was totally dry after going through the car wash, I determined these were not necessary.
Unless you see signs of water or dirt infiltration inside your door, I would not recommend these. If you do have water and dirt in your door, they may be a good investment.

They work

They are baffles, help deaden the sound from inside the door and keep speakers free from any water infiltration. Also helpful as a gasket, so no vibration from the speakers. I would only use these in doors, not for deck speakers as you lose some bass response.

Nullified Bass Response

I too thought these items would provide some protection from the elements, however when I installed them the sound was so muffled and isolated (to me) it rendered the speakers useless. As soon as I removed them the sound I was expecting was there. The OEM speakers did not have anything like this and did not appear water damaged in any way. It appears I did not need them at all.
While I suppose if you must have a very specific moisture issue them they might be useful but I regret ordering them. By the way, I ordered these because they popped up as (what I assume was) recommended by Crutchfield. I am disappointed. I feel like I just wasted my money. I have not use for them now.

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Cons:

Crutchfield responseon 8/24/2016Once we saw this review, one of our Customer Support team members, Donna, reached out to issue this customer a refund.

Gasket & water protection in one

These worked out great for my application - the speakers I was installing had just a little interference with door panel, the baffle was a great gasket to use to give a good, even seal. My previous upgraded speakers did not have any kind of rain shield and the output tabs had rusted off from where they attached to the spider so I want to make sure I did not make that mistake with my new speakers. I used JL C2-650x and they fit perfectly in the shallow depth ones - there actually is room to fit the regular length and that would be a bit more optimal most likely. They appear to be waterproof, I put water in one and it did not seep in at all. My only concern is that the speaker might get hot without room to breathe - I may cutout some of the bottom to take care of that. No idea if they change the sound but my speakers sound good so I am happy.

Pros:Waterproof, useful as gasket between speaker and mount

Cons:*maybe* would cause heat problems?

0 of 0 found this helpful

Good fit for application

Installed with new aftermarket speakers. Fit well in rear speaker cutout. Had to poke small hole(s) to connect wiring harness. Maybe reduces low end response, but decided to keep to protect the speakers and allow crisp mid/hi end response.

Makes sense.

Was recommended to use these for front door Rockford Fosgate 6.5" component woofers. I'm not an audio expert enough to understand why they are not used in the stock speakers and why it was suggested for the replacements. As suggested, I did cut out a 1" diameter hole out the back "to let the speaker breathe". I did not do a with and without comparison, but am trusting they will better protect my new speakers and prevent any artifacts that could occur without them. Not sure why they were not recommended for the rear door 6.5" speakers.

Pros:Easy to install.

Cons:Unknown.

1 of 1 found this helpful

Protection where you need it.

These do exactly what you would expect. Perfect for isolating the speakers from the elements. Exposure to moisture in the door made to old speakers brittle and ultimately fail. I cut a small hole in the bottom for wires, otherwise installation was plug and play. Yes, they cut the bass, but look up baffle in the dictionary before you purchase, ok? Don't complain because they cut sound since that is what a baffle is designed for. If you want full sound (and bass) but still need to shelter your speakers, build a custom fiberglass (or other non-absorbant material) enclosure.

You gotta use the baffle........

I've been buying these baffles for years. Every time I do a speaker install. Not only do these protect the back side of the speaker from dirt and moisture( yes, they both get inside your doors), but they also act as a gasket around your speake mount to provide vibration free mounting. OH, almost forgot the most important part: they keep the bass response clean and tight, coming out the front of the speakers and not filling you door........ If you don't use these for your installs, you should be. Even if you Matt your doors....

Pros:Keeps speaker clean and sound going where it should.

Cons:None

1 of 1 found this helpful

Protect your speakers

My 08 Cobalt coupe is leaking water in the doors (apparently somewhat of a common issue). My factory speakers went dead due to corrosion from all the water. I put in new Pioneer 2-way speakers (part of a Bluetooth stereo and 4 speaker set, by the way great). I didn't feel like spending money for new speakers every year, so I gutted out the factory speaker frame (since they were dead) and mounted the new speakers into the frame, and between them I put the baffles.
People complain that it kills their bass. I don't expect much bass from my 6.5" door 2-way speakers to begin with, but I did what the customer reps told me - cut a small hole on the bottom (not on top, so the water doesn't drip in it, this way it'll slide on the sides and not come in from the bottom defying gravity). You will need the hole to connect the wires anyway, and it fits in nicely.
Also, since they offer two depth, chat with the representative. I almost ordered the big ones, until the knowledgeable staff told me my Cobalt only has so many inches of room in the doors and that I needed the "slim" version.

Pros:Tight fit
Foam feels sturdy
Great customer service (more a Crutchfield thing than the product)
Two sizes available depending on the need
Don't kill the bass that much

Cons:I guess price - I mean, it's a piece of foam

1 of 1 found this helpful

Bass killer for 2014 Nissan rouge door installs

I thought hey what a great idea Baffling the speaking in the car door. Well after getting the polarity correct the bass was not there. I cut out the back and received some bass. Then I removed all four baffles . Wow!!, what a difference. This kills bass !!!

Great Protection

Tried one installed without cutting it and yes it blocked about all the bass. I mounted it behind the speaker adapter. Which also helps vibration rattles. I ended up cutting an oval in the bottom. Over a quarted of the protruded part. Wish I could upload a photo!.

As Advertised

They work as advertised. Only challenge was the snug fit on Drivers side door/window. Had to ultimately cut the back the baffle so it didn't slow down the window in my daughters Ford Fiesta. May have worked fine if the Driver side window motor wasn't starting to show signs of weakness (and will ultimately need to be replaced). Only reason for 4 stars was based on my results due to my window motor, otherwise 5*

Pros:They're baffles...

Cons:Had to cut away the back side for the drivers side door speaker due to weak power window motor (so I could extend the life of the motor).

They're baffles... They do the job.

You can't really mess up baffles, they went on my speakers, installed it in my truck, and they're doing a good job, I'm sure. The reason for 4 stars, would have been nice to get a little card telling me how the baffle goes on, as in, when it comes to using an adapter to mount your speaker. I'm sure this is a no brainer for most, but I'm not experienced with audio installation (though I'm a quick learner), and I scratched my head for a minute when deciding if it goes speaker baffle adapter, or speaker adapter baffle, but I figured it out. Also, maybe a punch out hole in the baffle to run your wire through, not that you can't just poke one with a screw driver, but it would be a nice thought.

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Cons:

1 of 1 found this helpful

great buy

this stuff is a need for a work truck, my window does not hold off the water out right so sometimes i leaks a little and when i went to change my factory speakers i noticed the speakers had a damp feel to them, so it was a must to have to protect the new speakers. great buy

Great Idea

I would have never thought that these would have made that much difference till I forgot to put one in the right door. Listening to both speakers before putting the second baffle in, gave me a chance to hear the difference.

These are dumb

These baffles are pretty much pointless. While they may provide some protection in situations where a speaker is exposed to a lot of moisture and dirt, they are way to enclosing and don't give speakers any chance to breathe. Furthermore, the most frustrating part is that these come with no packaging, literature, or instructions of any type and so a user has no idea on the ideal installation method and way to use them. In-all, I probably won't even use these in my installation and just wasted the money on two pairs of them.

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Crutchfield responseon 7/27/2015We forwarded this review to our Technical Support team for follow-up. Lifetime tech support comes with every Crutchfield purchase.

Very nice

These are very nice. A lot of the speaker baffles are just cheap plastic that's meant to keep any water in the door off of the speaker. These are nice, thick, dense foam, which helps to dampen door vibrations and improves the sound.

Speaker Baffles

I put these in my front doors when I installed new speakers. Don't know how effective they are, but I think that the little extra protection is peace of mind for me. Super easy to install. I had ZERO problems with this product.

Meh!

Not sure you really need these. Factory speakers were already well protected and therefore so would be my new speakers. No guidance for best way to install these. Screws supplied with the new speakers were too short to mount the speaker to the door And go though the 1/8"+ thickness of the baffle foam. I did use them on the front door, which uses a snap-in clamp for mounting the speaker and left them off the rear doors.

Cons:Relies on mounting hardware that comes with your new speakers. The thickness of the foam may exceed the length of the new mounting hardware when trying to mount the new speaker with baffle to the door.

Simple, inexpensive, effective

So far they seem to be a perfect addition to my system. I made several other changes at the same time so I can't make an apples/apples comparison about improving sound quality, but I do feel confident about the weatherproofing for the front door speakers. I have noted that the sound is a little less audible outside the vehicle. When installing you need to be gentle when pressing them into the speaker hole. They are a little soft and I made a small tear in one of them pushing on it.

XTC 6-1/2" Baffles

Crutchfield recommended baffles to go with some replacement speakers I purchased since they were being mounted in the doors of a 2007 Avalanche and there were concerns about sound being "lost in the door chamber" and such. I decided not to get the baffles originally and I was unhappy with the sound of the new speakers. I thought it may have been the lack of baffles, so...
I decided to come back to buy the baffles thinking (hoping) they would help. In the end, there was very little difference overall and they did not make enough of an impact for me to be able to recommend them to anyone based on my experience. Unfortunately, I have to agree with most of the reviews I read here and say that they just were not worth it in my particular installation as they seemed to do nothing at all at any volume level. I haz an acoustic sad...

Pros:Very easy to install. Inexpensive too. :)

Cons:Did not do a single thing to improve speaker performance in any way that I noticed. :(

Works as it should

I can't say whether or not it affects acoustics as I am just using it as a shield from rain as rain ruined front the speakers in my Honda. I cut it out so that it just covers the top of the speaker and it works perfectly

my order

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles i recomend this product for anyone who is looking for this type of product

Pros:great product,easy to install. compared to other types does a better job of preventing sound from escaping from behind speakers.perfect fit. and because it foam it does a better job of dampening vibrations.

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

I bought 4 of these, and could only use 2. I think the 2 speakers without them sounded better, so I cut a 2' diameter vent in the back of the baffle. In my application with just a head unit (low power) I think these sealed off the back of the speaker too much and it couldn't "breathe/flow". Probably best for high powered systems that can overpower the static air of a sealed back.

Pros:easy to trim, seals the speaker to mounting surface perfectly.

Cons:Wont fit some locations. Front speakers in a 99 CRV are a no go. May lower speaker out put in low power system if not vented to flow some air.

Good when used right

Some people really have a thing against baffles, but having ruined aftermarket speakers with no baffles, I can't not use them. First, they make a great gasket between the speaker and whatever it's mounted too. They're easily trimmed. Then I just start with a hole at the bottom underside of the cup for the wires, listen to how it sounds, and then increase the size of the hole. You could take off 75% of the cup and it would still keep most of the speaker dry if your window seals are less than perfect.

Pros:Inexpensive, keeps your speakers dry, helps the sound if you use them right

Cons:Should be free with speakers...

0 of 0 found this helpful

Good, if you need them

I installed these with new 6.5" speakers in the rear doors. I'm not sure it was necessary, but I went with the recommendation. In retrospect I probably wouldn't use these again. New cars shouldn't have water issues and I'm not convinced the sound is improved. Just make sure to cut the hole/port at the bottom (side of baffle if looking at it like a cup) so that any water would drain and bass isn't hindered.

Pros:Easy to install.
Does the job if you actually need protection for your speakers.

Cons:Just a suspicion, but probably more of a hindrance than help to sound quality.

Does the Job and DEM SUM!

These do what they say they will. They improved the sound in my speakers enough for me to buy another pair, but i went with the boom mat brand. The boom mats look better and I'm probably going to replace these with the boom mats. I also installed the dynamat lite stuff, on all my doors which also were worth the investment. If you are an audiophile on a budget, and an amplifier is out of the question, then add some baffles at least. You can also add dynamat just around the speakers and holes in the door to help keep sound in and unwanted noise out Just make sure you have enough room so your windows don't run against the back of the baffle, and you have to add a hole for the wire and so the speakers can move easier (the baffles will create a suction if an hole isn't added.)

Pros:price, advantage of longer speaker life, and ease of install

Cons:

0 of 0 found this helpful

Work for me

I ordered these mainly to serve as protection from potential water damage, but I also like the benefit of having a foam buffer between the outer flange of my speaker and the metal door, which has all but eliminated the rattling when the music is played.
Honestly, I cannot comment on how the baffles affect the sound, as the backs were slightly opened to make installation easier. But, for me, the sound deadening and peace of mind of water staying off my speakers make this a very inexpensive investment.

Pros:Inexpensive
Stops door vibrations by providing a buffer between the speaker and the metal door.
Keeps water from getting onto your speaker components.

Cons:No real way for me to tell whether these provide sonic bliss, but this is not really a con since I think my speakers sound good.

all muffled

i tried using them in the doors and rear deck of my 2008 honda civic.didnt fair well at all. removed them and sound performance increased, seems as though they muffled the sound. maybe custome enclosers would have been better

Pros:the idea is there but the wrong material...should be some kind of harder material to allow better sound travel

Cons:to soft of material and it doesnt allow for sound to travel properly

protection is a must.

I install these baffles in my wifes car because her old speakers died do too rain and other elements. and after the install of new speakers in these baffles sounds much better and provides the protection that is needed.

Good But...

Installed these XTC 6 1/2" speaker baffles in the doors behind my new Polk speakers to protect them from water damage. When I removed the old factory speakers, I noticed there was some moisture and water on the back side of the speaker magnet and basket. These are the shallow mount (or slim line) baffles but their 2-3/8" depth was a little too deep for my doors -- I only had a 1-3/4" of clearance between the door glass and speaker opening in the door frame. I had to trim the back to fit and also cut a small opening, about 1" x 2" in the bottom of the baffle (side away from dripping water) to allow the speaker wire to pass through. These baffles are flexible and fit easily through the speaker opening. It appears that these baffles should provide adequate protection to the speakers from moisture and water damage and the foam structure while not really strong should be good for this application. I also checked the sound of my speakers with and without these baffles and I couldn't detect any difference in the overall sound and they didn't kill the bass response. Perhaps this might be due to the opening I cut in the bottom of the baffle for the speaker wires.

Pros:Good protection from moisture and water damage
Reasonable price

Cons:Too deep for my application

2 of 2 found this helpful

helped a lot

The sales advisor recommended I use these to help seal any air gaps around the speaker install. I cut the back of the baffle out as I was only using these for a seal. Once my speakers were in stalled I trimmed the excess baffle material off. Looks great as well as enhancing the quality of sound.

Great Product!

Turns out that my speakers sounded better without these but they are still a great product for those that do need them. My factory adapter has a overhang that protects the speaker from drips of water if any should get inside the door. I would recommend this product to a friend.

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

I was advised to buy these and did so. But after installing my new speakers with these baffles around them in the front doors of my 98' Jeep Cherokee, I removed the baffles a couple days later. I was told they would protect the speaker and even improve sound quality. I'm sure they would protect the speakers however, when I looked at the factory speakers, they didn't seem to have any water damage or grime. Also I felt like my new speakers didn't sound the way they should, the bass seemed limited, even though I cut the hole out where the "C" is like I was told. Because of these two reasons, I took out the baffles. The bass and overall sound quality of my speakers improved and I obviously wasn't losing any sort of protection by removing the baffles as my factory speakers can prove. Long story short, they are a waste of money. Luckily, Crutchfield being as awesome as they are, refunded me the money. Yes they were only like 8 bucks but I don't like throwing away 8 bucks. I'm still going to remain a lifelong Crutchfield customer even though I was poorly advised to get these baffles.

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1 of 1 found this helpful

Wish I had read the reviews...

These work as described. They sealed my speakers from water and dirt. I installed then In a 97 ford pick up and they fit fine, I trimmed the extra off after mounting them for cleanliness. I wish I would have known to cut ports in them before I installed them as they do seem to choke the bass out. (or that might just be caused by me using the 50$ Kenwood 6.5" speakers) but they are still a night and day difference from the stock "premium" speakers. Oddly, when I installed them I could hear an improvement in sound quality at lower listening volume, as opposed to the speaker in open air. (I was hurrying to finish the install and didn't think to try it at higher volume). if it wasn't such a hassle to remove the door panels on my truck, I would cut some ports in the baffles. I still might down the road. For now I just cranked up the power to the rear 6x8"s. I'm happy the Crutchfield rep talked me into them. For less that 8$ they are worth the dirt/water protection.

worth getting

I bought mainly worried about vibrations in the door. And maybe a little bit more bass. as for more bass, Im not sure because I didnt want to spend lots of time putting in, taking out etc to see which had more. I just took the salesmans word for it. Havent found any vibrations, but the one reason for having these that I didnt think of is WATER. I had to remove the door panel several days later and it had rained a day or two before. when I pulled out the baffle there was moisture all over the outside of the baffle! Just pay attention to how you orient the speaker wires. My window would pull the speaker wires off when rolled down.

Not sold on advantages

I installed these wih my 6.5" Infinity Reference speakers, and am not sold on their usefulness. I cut a port in the bottom of them as another review suggested, but still think I'm losing bass on them. They'll protect the speakers, sure, but if you sacrifice sound, hmmmmm....

Xtc 6-1/2" speaker baffles

These were a tight fit but overall they worked out good not sure if I need to cut a bigger hole in the bottom cause my speakers don't sound like they have as much base as my other ones but they are new and not Brocken in yet.

Pros:Cheap easy way to keep speakers clean and provide a good seal

Cons:Not sure if they take away from the base

0 of 0 found this helpful

Awesome Product

They do exactly what they are suppose to and they do it well . These Are in all 4 doors of my Trailblazer keeping the water off of my new MTX TDX65's . They are easy to install and they are Easy to cut / trim for the perfect fit. I cut a 2 inch wide slot in the bottom edge from the front to the back and these do not effect the bass nor the sound in the least. Install them how they were intended to be used and for the reason they were intended and your speakers will be protected from water , dirt and dust . Cover up your driver , be Safe

Pros:Easy to cut and trim, well made, Good product, does what they were made todo

Cons:None

0 of 0 found this helpful

Should have read the reviews first

Installed these with Polk db 651 6.5 door speakers. My intentions were to keep the speakers dry and clean. Right off the bat I notice that there was no bass, thought they were terrible speakers. Had them in for a while, and was in the market for another pair of speakers for another vehicle.Read the reviews on them, and went back in and removed the baffles, night and day difference. A lot more bass and clearer sound overall. Do not use these if you don't have to. Other reviewers have modified them to keep their speakers clean , I realized, I did not have any water issues with the insides of my doors.

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

I am using these in conjunction with dynamat, which makes for additional thickness, not a real problem just something to account for. I choose to cut the bottom portion out, but retain the outer lip around the entire baffle to maintain the sealing surface, but allow the speaker to have more space to "breathe" in as the baffle doesn't provide enough total space for a larger speaker.

Pros:Cheap, works as advertised to protect from water

Cons:may need to be cut to size depending on speaker application

0 of 0 found this helpful

Functions as promised

The adviser told me they are used to protect the speakers in the door to prevent water and dirt damage. When i was installing my new speakers the old factory ones had obvious signs of water damage and mold on them with copious amount of dirt. I've read and the adviser said to cut a hole the size of the "C" in the baffle to 1 let the speaker wire in and to allow air movement so as not to restrict the movement of the speaker. I didn't notice any sound quality loss or gain. So as far as the other 1 2 stars I would like to say stop whining it does what is listed on the info section and nothing more.

Pros:Protects the speaker from environmental junk

Cons:... none

0 of 0 found this helpful

Worth the money for peace of mind

I read a few of the reviews about this product before buying them. I both 2 sets of the 6.5" baffles. They are easy to install and ensure you don't get any excessive rattle or vibration. As for bass response improvement they were installed with brand new 6.5" MTX 3-ways, which replaced my OEM speakers in my 09' Malibu LT. So anything is an improvement compared to the OEM.

Pros:Easy to install, not a bad price, eliminates rattle and excessive vibration from speaker location.

Worked Great in my Silverado

I agree some installation instructions for these would be helpful. I did some on-line research on these both at Crutchfield and else where. I found various ideas and decided to go with what sounded best and waht seemed to work during installation once I got there. I kept the flange on the baffles and ended up sandwiching it in between the mounting brackets provide by Crutchfield and the speakers themselves. I cut about 1 1/2 inch diameter hole in the bottom of each baffle for the speaker wires and for air flow. That worked as the sound of the speakers is great and the speaker is protected from water getting in the door. I will definitely use these again.

Pros:Speaker protection.
No impact to speaker performance.

Cons:No installation instructions/recomendations.

1 of 2 found this helpful

Necessary and also inexpensive for any system.

ZachW from WVa on 11/24/2011

These require some ingenuity to install, but are worth it in the end. I made holes for the wires, which I believe are adequate enough to be a port as well.
I may get the Xacto knife out and make them a little bigger.

Pros:Price, quality, excellent shipping

Cons:Must figure out how to install, troublesome

4 of 4 found this helpful

Total junk

These baffles are good only in theory. In actual practice, they are awful. They are much too thick to be useful with the speaker mounting brackets supplied by Crutchfield for the Chevy C1500. I tried to use them but they were so thick that I couldn't snap the speaker/bracket assembly into place without severely distorting the bracket (speakers on a C1500 do not screw to the door, but snap in with a bracket). I tried to modify the baffle by trimming it some, but it still didn't work. Crutchfield should make a note with on the product desccription with a list of vehicles that the baffle will not work with the speaker mounting bracket. Instead, I wasted my money and can't return it because I had to modify it.

I guess they work

The crutchfield guys always push these and I typically trust their advice. I understand the need for a certain amount of air space behind speakers but the air space with these baffles seem too small for the Alpine 6.5" speaker I installed them with so I feel they limit the bass the speaker can provide. Mids and highs are great.
Just my $0.02

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2 of 3 found this helpful

Great product - needs instructions

DaveL from Boston, MA on 6/26/2011

The product itself is fine, but it should come with instructions that discuss the options for installation. So my rating of 4 is really the average of 5 for the product itself and 3 for the lack of guidance on how to use it. If you mainly want to protect your speakers, then install the baffle as intact as possible, cutting only the smallest possible slit for the wires. If, on the other hand, you also want your speakers to sound good you need to cut a more significant hole. When I first installed the speakers with the baffle intact, I wondered why my speakers sounded so dead, so muffled, I then did some research and discovered the need to add a port for air movement.What would be useful to come from the manufacturer is guidance on the hole size. I didn't want to take the time to experiment with different sizes, but cutting out about a fourth of the sidewall of the baffle on the bottom made a huge improvement in the sound. What I don't know is whether a smaller hole would have worked just as well (a smaller hole would compromise the protection less).

Nice !

Second set and I just ordered another for a different app.After reading many
reviews I ported my baffles with a 3/4" hole and got back the missing mid
range.The now sound way better than with no baffles and are water resistant to
the point of submerging my SUV.I tried the speakers with one non baffled and
other baffled and also one ported and one baffled.Conclusion was speakers
sounded best with the baffles and ported and with no baffles sounded cheap.I was
using high end Pioneer D class speakers.

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7 of 7 found this helpful

Don't listen to the one stars!

Chris M from Toronto, ON on 4/15/2011

I bought these because the doors in my Miata get wet inside. The speakers I
pulled out were rusted and in very bad shape from water damage.
Everyone that rates these a one star does not know how to use them. You are
supposed to cut holes in them. I placed two 2 inch holes in the bottom so they
are still protected from the rain, and they still sound great. I'm not sure if they
actually help the sound, but I noticed no degradation.
Customer service was excellent also.

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Cons:

6 of 6 found this helpful

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

I only use these baffles for weather proofing door speakers. They do add
precious little bass response, but are a perfect shield against the elements
(water and dirt). I poke a hole in the bottom facing side to run the wires
through for the speaker and then mount it all. Works like a charm.

Pros:

Cons:

3 of 4 found this helpful

Avoid If You Like Bass

The only reason I bought these is because the Sales Advisor on the phone said they
would help my bass response. I only bought one pair for the front doors since the rear
liftgate is not a wet area. My front and rear speakers are the same brand and model yet
the rear speakers sound amazingly better on lower frequencies than my front speakers
do. Imagine placing a baloon over the back of the speakers, ultimately killing any bass
response they could have had and some of the clarity of the mids. So you've constantly
got the pressure from the last movement fighting the next one. The only reason I did
not remove and return them is because the cost I incurred replacing several broken
door clips because they were so old and brittle has put fear into me that I'll have to
replace several again. As soon as it warms up or when I have another reason to pull my
door panels, these things are going in the trash. Waste of money! Unless you have
obvious signs of corrosion on your current speakers or have had speakers damaged
from corrosion in the past, avoid these at all costs. My only wish is that there were a
lower rating than 1 star. Then these would get it.

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5 of 11 found this helpful

put it in, take it out

cvillehick from gloucester, va on 1/25/2011

YES! GREAT! AWESOME! PHENOMENAL BASS, OUTRAGEOUS HIGHS! BEST
THING I EVER DID TO MY SOUND...after removing them from the speakers and throwing
them away, that is.
these things, like ALL the reviews say, take ALL the bass out, and make your sound
overall as FLAT as it can be. midbass is painfully blunt, no definition, and highs are just
flat, certainly not clearly and sparkly. if you want to PROTECT your speakers from rain
and dirt, then get these. if you want to HEAR your speakers, absolutely under no
circumstances get these. take the chance on rain and dirt and get your dollars' worth from
your speaker purchase.

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5 of 7 found this helpful

Completely lost all bass sound was muddy

Turbo S from Melbourne, FL on 10/30/2010

I recently installed a set of Infinity Kappa's and these XTC foam baffles in my STI, after
turning on the stereo I noticed that the bass was significantly less than the factory
speakers, and the sound was very muddy. I re-checked my wiring and started
considering replacement of the headunit when I read online that these foam baffles can
suck the life out of your speakers. I removed the baffles and reinstalled the speakers-
problem solved. My speakers now sound great.......

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

These baffles fit nicely, I cut 1 1/2 inch holes on the bottom of them so the speakers can
breath. My 6 1/2 inch alpines sound great in them. A lot of people on here complained
about lack of bass and I really can't tell that much of a difference with or without the
baffles installed.

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1 of 1 found this helpful

Wow what a difference REMOVING these made!!!

I bought these because crutchfield recommended them. I bought them with Kicker 6.5" speaker. When I turned it on there was virtually no bass. I read on here that these were the issue so I spent a couple hours redoing all of my speakers... Turned it on as WOW!!!
Make sure you know what your getting with these things...

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2 of 2 found this helpful

Not for High End

I was going the whole nine yards on my Pathfinder system. I added these in with my Infinity Kappa componant install. The bass was non existent. The Mids and Highs sounded good. I even called Crutchfiled tech support who suspected it was an amplifier crossover problem.
I hit the web for the answer, and after reading these reviews decided to try and remove one of these baffles. Bass came through clear and deep. I tested some more to see if I can just cut an air hole in them and salvage some of the protection of the baffles, but they sounded better without any baffle altogether.
My final thoughts are these might work well for 20 watts replacements or factory speakers, but the high end 200w with amps are not meant to be restricted. They will need the air to reach their peaks perfromance.

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7 of 8 found this helpful

Preventative Maintenance!

Uber easy to add to any install. I have no doubt that these will help protect my speakers. Especially after seeing how the factory speakers came out. If that can happen to factory speakers that were only 6 years old, then this is the cheapest insurance I can find!

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1 of 1 found this helpful

Work great

I bought these because my old speakers were destroyed by water in my car's door,
so I wanted to protect my new speakers.... They work great, and provide
protection against rattles, and I think they make the bass on my 6.5" Boston
S64RC's sound very clean and accurate.

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0 of 0 found this helpful

Not at all bad for the money...

Patrick from Chester on 5/1/2010

I don't know what all these disgruntled reviews are really trying to say. First of all, the baffles are only this much, not a big deal if you don't like them. Second, they're the only thing on the market today that will provide superior water, dust, and moisture protection for your door speakers. As far as sound quality goes, I think it really depends on what type of speaker you're installing (full-range, component, etc.) and how much air space that particular speaker needs. Not as big of a deal with door speakers, like it is when installing a subwoofer in an enclosure. But like all speakers, they require the right amount of air space to perform well.
I have a set of Alpine 6.5" SPX-17PRO's and they repalced an older set of Alpine components, except with these, I cut a small 1"X2" hole in the bottom of the baffle. It did seem like the speaker cone moves MUCH more freely as it should. The sound did improve, although it could've been that these are just better speakers. I think part of the problem that people are having with these baffles is, that they're trying to run a set of speakers that require more power than the crappy IC chip internal amp of these modern day head units can supply. Do yourself and your ears a favor, whenever possible, use external amplification, your speakers will thank you for it!

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8 of 9 found this helpful

They are cheap, if you don't like them not much lost.

Keith from Brunswick, Ga on 2/4/2010

A Crutchfield tech suggested using these baffles with Infinity Reference 6022si
speakers. (See me review of the speakers). I was happy with the sound, but I made the
mistake of reading the reviews about these baffles. Suddenly I was filled with doubt.
Where my speaker reaching the full potential? Had I screwed up and I am to tone deaf
to realize it? So I e-mailed Infinity about the use of baffles with the Infinity Reference
6022si speakers. This is the response: "While it is true that these speakers do not
require the use of a baffle, a baffle will always help to tighten up and improve the low
frequency response in almost all cases. There is no way for me to say that you should
or shouldn't use the baffle. I can only suggest that you try it with and without and go with
whichever way sounds best to you. That really is the only way to determine the best
way." Folks, they are working for me. The only thing I wish I had done different was to
try one speaker with a baffle and one without, but I did not. The speakers sound good
and the baffle is providing protection. I would say, if in doubt purchase them and try
them, then if you need to cut a hole, or remove them what have you really lost?

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12 of 12 found this helpful

best sound for the money!!

I put two pair of these in my Pontiac Grand Prix (6.5 and 6x9) and I feel that my money was very well spent. They enhanced the already great sound that I got from my Infinity speakers. I recommend them to anybody that is a sound quality freak like me!!!!

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4 of 5 found this helpful

Must be modified

I got these to go with installation of 4 new Polk db651s. Installed them in a 2005 4Runner. I have an Eclipse EA3422 driving them. Anyway...got them in, checked my amp settings...and I'll be doggone if the rear speakers didn't sound terrible. There was this horrible, bass knocking/buzzing with increasing volume. It took me a day of jacking around with them to figure it out. The problem: the baffles for the rear speakers were snug around the base of the magnet. Even though I had cut ports in the bottom of the baffles, the air movement was causing the baffle to literally "slap" the base of the speaker. After cutting the lower half of the baffle off...problem solved.

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4 of 6 found this helpful

Spend your money and time on Sound Proofing

I put baffles on both my front and rear speakers. The next day I took off the baffles on the front I rear speakers. Absolutely no bass and no midrange was coming through. I tried cutting holes but it was little help. If you want to stop bass tones from vibrating (rattling the door) I would suggest soundproofing (such as Dynamat.) Baffles just didn't work.

Be sure to cut a hole

I put these on my Infinity Reference components and they sounded horrible! I thought I hooked up the speakers wrong or something. So, I took the door apart again and took off these baffles and the speakers sounded great. I read later someplace that you need to cut a hole in the bottom to allow for airflow. Unfortunately, there were no instructions included with this product. I put one back on (with a hole in the bottom) when I had the door panel off for another reason and it didn't seem to affect the sound at all.

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4 of 5 found this helpful

6 1/2 speaker baffles Beware!

After ordering I read the reviews on the baffles. If you are buying these for
weather protection then great. If you are buying for better sound quality
then please note I beleve you will be dis satisfied. I even took the time to
port the foam on the bottom side of baffle as suggested in the reviews by
others. I tested different sizes of holes to see what would sound best to
me. With out the holes or port the sound was worse.
So the short version of this is do not buy these to improve your sound.

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10 of 10 found this helpful

Made Car Speakers Sound Like Clock Radio!

An adviser recommended these baffles for the 6.5" speakers in my door panels. After ordering them, I checked the reviews here (should have done that first). Many reviewers who were happy with the baffles mentioned they cut a small 'port' in the bottom of the baffle 'cup'. So when they arrived, I tried a small experiment - I cut a small port in one baffle, and only a slit on the other to snake the speaker wire through. I then installed the speakers in the door panels.
Now, I have a 'tin ear' but the difference between the two speakers was amazing! The speaker with the ported baffle was deep and rich sounding. It had a great low end (for a 6.5").
The speaker with the baffle that only had a slit in the back sounded horrible: little to no bass response. In fact, you could literally see that the woofer on the ported baffles was moving much more dramatically than the one with the un-ported baffle.
I'm disappointed that I was recommended these baffles. I'm probably just going to toss them out entirely. If you must use them due to moisture issues, porting is a must! My $0.02.

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7 of 7 found this helpful

Excellent Bass Blockers

I installed these in a 2009 MINI Cooper with Infinity 6022si's. The result was dismal. I installed one on the left side, and left it off the right, and put on a song with some heavy bass. You could see the difference - the right speaker moved back and forth effortlessly, but the left had virtually no movement. A quick balance check confirmed the almost absolute lack of bass. So for me these didn't achieve what I wanted. I next tried "porting" the enclosure by cutting a 1.5" hole in them (at the bottom), but it had little to know effect.
I later called Infinity support, and they confirmed that their drivers are designed to work in"open air", and do not recommend the baffles.
I threw them away.

Increased performance & Protection

I have recently installed some polk 6 1/2" 651db slim speakers in my
Pontiac Vibe, with the stock head unit it was dismal. I changed the head
unit to a Alpine 9884 and it was quite a difference, much better sound
especially with the ipod. I didn't get baffles when I installed the speakers
and after doing some research I decided it would probly be worth the 15
bucks. So last night I installed them... I'd say it was the best bang for the
buck in the whole setup thus far. The bass response is improved and
maybe best of all it protects the speakers from the elements. I took the
advice of previous posters and the crutchfield advisor I spoke with and cut
a 1" hole in the bottom of the baffle. My only critique would be that
crutchfield enclude that information with the product. I'd recommend this to
anyone installing a new set of speakers in their doors or any location for
that matter.

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1 of 1 found this helpful

Works OK...

Except for a slight gap at either end of the mounting bracket (Universal
Bracket - 6 1/2") the baffles perform as advertised. The rear deck should
be sealed from the trunk to provide a good subwoofer response. You may
need to use neoprene rubber to get a good seal.

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1 of 1 found this helpful

Dont Bother

tried to use these for installing polk DB651s in a 2004 subaru outback. They didn't really fit very well, made the installation more complicated then necessary. At first I didn't cut the vent in them, and thought that was impacting the bass response, but even once I vented them they didn't seem to do much. the subaru speaker frame has a splash guard to keep water & dirt out of the speaker, that's enuf for me (especially with marine rated speakers)

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1 of 1 found this helpful

Won't let the speaker breath!!!

I bought 2 sets of these for install in my 04 350Z. I put them in the door with a new set of Infinity Reference 6022si. When I turned the system on I noticed a distortion in the speakers when bass was higher or the volume was up past mid range. I watched the speaker diaphram move and it was pounding. I was thinking I had a bad speaker, so I removed the baffle and all the distortion went away . I didn't even try them in the rear locations. I don't think the baffle was allowing the speaker to breath properly.

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2 of 2 found this helpful

Excellent

I cut holes in my factory doors and installed a set of the new polk audio mm series, 6.5 inch components. I used these baffles and I do not know if they increased bass response because i had nothing to compare it to, but at hte very minimum, these baffles do a great job protecting my speakers. they keep them dry and they protect them for getting dinged and scratched up.

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0 of 1 found this helpful

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

Duane from Raleigh, NC on 1/4/2009

A must for most door speaker installs! These work great for 4" and smaller speakers as-is. For 5.25" and larger the internal volume of the baffle is too small for lower notes, and since it is not rigid it will wreak havoc on the speaker. To remedy this, cut a 2" or larger hole on the downward-facing side of the baffle (when installed). For door speakers, do not cut out the back. By only cutting on the downward-facing side (door speakers, usually) you will maintain protection from water and still benefit from the gasket seal it creates at the mounting rim of the speaker. Speaking of which, these create a far better gasket than the adhesive foam tape, which deteriorates very quickly in the blazing heat of summer.
This product suffers from bad marketing and misuse. It is not a speaker enclosure, and it will not improve bass response by itself. By helping to turn your door into a sealed and safe enclosure, it will improve bass. For the guy who had trouble when the window rolled down and hit the baffle, there are slim-fit models available.

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5 of 5 found this helpful

Cheap and Overrated

I purchased a pair of these while purchasing some Infinitti Kappa door speakers for my Honda Civic. After seeing what I purchased, I was a bit skeptical. The baffles appear very cheap. I understand the potential upside of baffles, but after installing I determined not to use them. When I installed the speaker in the right door, I installed it with a baffle. I then installed the left door speaker without a baffle. After using the head unit to adjust toggle back and forth between the two speakers, I decided to not use them. I thought that the speaker without the baffle had more bass. The baffle seemed to make the bass "boomy."

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2 of 6 found this helpful

Use properly

These Baffles get five stars because they do exactly what they advertise. But, if you dont know how baffles work, then they will ruin your sound. They are left uncut so you can decide where the best plcement is for the opening. If you simply cut a big hole in the back, then you will not get any improved bass response. the hole should be on the bottom of one of the sides. that way the speaker is still enclosed, giving that improved bass response, and protecting your speakers from water and moisture. Its the same concept as a box for subs. they all have some ventalation, but keep the sub enclosed. they are cheap and with proper installation will give you a slight bass improvement. well worth the price.

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6 of 9 found this helpful

Gotta use them correctly

Krome from Nevada on 9/21/2008

Okay, these things work. If you use them correctly then they work great! Yes, you must cut a small hole (3/4"X3/4") in the bottom side to let some air out, but you have to cut a small hole anyway in order to get the wires to the speakers. I have Polk Audio DB650's in the rear and DB6500's in the front. I used these on both front and rear and noticed a huge difference in sound. The sound is way more full and they do protect the speakers from water also. The easiest way to demonstrate how it improves the sound is to play the speaker outside of the baffle, then place it into the baffle. You will notice a sound difference. Everyone who says they don't work obviously aren't using them correctly. I recommend these to veryone.

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11 of 14 found this helpful

Cheap but Questionable

I'm not sure if this really helped the bass or not, but for the price I figured why not, plus it would protect the speakers from any leaking water. I figured it was worth the waste of money, just in case it actually helped with the bass a bit cause I don't have a sub or anything high end like that so any little bit of help I could get I'd take.

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1 of 1 found this helpful

don't work DON'T BUY!!!

ab from Los Angeles, Ca on 9/6/2008

Not only do these NOT help bass, they HINDER it. I bought new Alpine speakers and these Baffles. They caused the speakers to sound worse than the GM factory speakers I had just taken out! To make matters worse, when I rolled down my driver's side window the glass snagged one of the baffles causing enough resistance to force the motor to bend the regulator arm. Now I can't roll my window down. If you cut a hole baffle you get your bass back, or you could just skip all the hassle.

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2 of 7 found this helpful

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

These foam cups get one star because they do the exact opposite of what they are advertised to do. They do not "improve" bass, they severely reduce it. If your problem is too much bass, then yes, in that situation they might provide a cheap mechanical alternative to bass blockers, but otherwise these are NOT something you should use.
The only redeeming qualities of these baffles are that they can keep water off of your speakers and they might provide a little vibration damping. If you use them for this purpose, cut a big hole out of them so that they don't ruin your sound.
These should not be recommended accessories. They are a specific solution to a specific problem (water).

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5 of 5 found this helpful

SAVE YOUR TIME, READ THE REVIEWS FIRST!

I was going to post a review saying that I really don't know if these baffles
helped the speakers sound better. Right before I was going to post a
review, I read other reviews (don't know why I didn't before I purchased
these). You definitely have to make ventilation holes on these baffles.
THESE WILL KILL YOUR BASS if you just install them the way they come. I
was really getting disappointed with my new Blaupunkt GTc652 component
speakers. After I made the holes on these baffles, the speakers became
alive. CF really should clarify what these baffles will do to the sound. Save
your time and energy and read the reviews before you install anything.
Reviewers here at CF are really helpful. Thanks guys.

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8 of 9 found this helpful

Good for water protection

The foam material is a bit cheaper feeling than what the picture looks like but I'm sure it will do the job. You can easily rip or cut it with scissors so you have to be a bit careful about making sure you don't scrape it on sharp edges during installation.
Like everyone else says, if you don't cut a hole out, you will lose your bass as air won't flow to move the woofer cones. I cut maybe a 1 inch by 2 inch (1&quot; x 2&quot;) rectangular hole on the bottom side of the baffle and a hole that small did the trick to get the bass back from the speaker. I installed the slim pair on my 2006 Honda Civic LX sedan. Beware about the Civics. A LOT of water gets into the doors, so the last time it rained hard, my speakers had puddles behind them and it even leaked into the outside of the door between the trim panel and got into my car. Took me days to dry out the front driver side floor. That is the primary reason to buy these baffles. You should not buy them if you are thinking of ways to improve your bass response as it won't help at all for most people. I say most people because every car speaker is different and maybe some speakers work better with tight enclosures. I'm no expert, but it seems that most car speakers won't get any improved bass by using these baffles. The best the baffles will do is shield from water.
I'm giving 4 stars for the review just because I think the baffle material could be better quality and not so fragile feeling.

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6 of 8 found this helpful

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

Well I read almost all these reviews before I bought these and I'm not sure that the other people were using an AMP instead of their deck to power their speakers... I just put these in and I am beyond satisfied!! I finally have that mid-bass I have been looking for!! I wish I had spent the measly Dollars a long time ago had I known the sound I would get.

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2 of 3 found this helpful

Cleaner and Quieter

James from Queen Creek, AZ on 12/26/2007

I installed these with each of my speakers, in my 2004 Honda Civic 4-door Sedan LX. While installing the front door speakers I cut them to fit within the pop-out mount bracket adapters while still overlapping the hole in the door. I cut the foam around the bracket and speaker to fit the flush mount bracket adapter cleanly. To allow for air and the power adapter I cut a quarter sized whole in the center of the foam. I am satisfied with this purchase.

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1 of 3 found this helpful

Terrible Sound

Not a good product at all! I wish I would of read some of the reviews before I purchased these. If you need to weatherproof your speakers, then these are a good decision, but for sound quality it's no good. I purchased these for my 6 1/2s and my 5x7s, and I am completely disappointed! installed it all this morning, and now I'm about to take them right back off. I do not suggest buying these if you're going for sound quality.

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4 of 7 found this helpful

Descisions- Bass or Weatherproofing?

From the reviews I read of these, I knew what I was in for with losing the bass, but I figured it was worth it since I have subs and sometimes water does leak into the door where the window goes. <BR><BR>These are fairly thick, they show 1/4", maybe compressed! These are pretty thick, make sure you leave enough room for their thickness. Also, getting the wiring in there can be tricky when trying to mount everything.<BR><BR>It's going to keep my speakers dry and help prevent vibrations, I can deal with the lack of bass since I have subs. If you do not have any subs or have no plans to get any, you might want to think twice about these.

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7 of 7 found this helpful

Disappointment

After installing the baffles in my front door panels I lost what little bass I had. I was under the impression that these baffles would &quot;tighten&quot; my bass, not remove it.<BR><BR>I removed them immediately after listening.

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6 of 7 found this helpful

Good speaker protection, bad sound!

Kahres05 from Fleetwood, PA on 3/12/2007

I bought these for my install for a 2005 wrx. The speakers are polk db650's. First off, I made the mistake of not testing the sound of the speakers without the baffles. Anyway, the system sounded good with the baffles in but I have a sub in the car so I didnt realize how much bass I was loosing. So I turned off the subwoofer and found out the speakers had like no midbass, I was dissapointed and not pleased after that. They say these baffles improve bass response not kill it! Knowing these are great speakers from a previous install I knew it had to be the baffles. I called Polk support to find out what they thought about the baffles and the tech said that would completely kill the sound of the driver. So I took my door cards off, pulled the speakers out and cut the baffle backs in half so air flow was good, but still had protection from water coming off the windows above; looks like a speaker hood. The end result was nothing but great sound with some protection but the audio was the way it was intended for. I only recommend this product if you properly vent the rear of the driver othervise dont be talked into buying these.

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13 of 14 found this helpful

Rebricate and they work great

CoronaIslander187 from Medina, OH on 1/20/2007

I bought these to accomodate a pair of 6 1/2's from Kenwood due to the fact there was water leaking inside the door. The previous speakers (an old pair of eclipse's) suffered so much damage the surrounds were falling apart and the terminals were turning green. After the install I noticed a very slight decrease in bass response but the new speakers still screamed. I did what was advised by previous buyers and made a decent size hole in the bottom to provide air. This perhaps makes all the difference. Now I have piece of mind knowing my speakers are high and dry.

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10 of 10 found this helpful

A Little Time and Effort

I own a 2006 Nissan Altima. After replacing the factory door speakers and A-pillar tweaters with an Infinity Kappa 60.7cs component system, I had an issue with water leaking into the door trim panel and onto the carpet. The factory speakers included a &quot;splash&quot; guard that redirected the small amount of water that leaked past the window gaskets, the Kappa's did not.<BR><BR> I purchased the 6 - 1/2&quot; baffles to divert water away from the inside door skin. After a couple of car washes and several rain storms, the baffles have paid for the agrivation I previously experienced.<BR><BR> I did follow the advice of several others who posted on this product, and cut &quot;ports&quot; in the bottom of the speaker baffles to allow better response from the drivers. I also used silicon sealant to create a water break on the outside of the baffles to prevent water from entering the hole that I made in the bottom of the baffle.<BR><BR> Although this took some fabrication and fore thought, the raw materials that were provided were flexible, well made and inexpensive... I would definately recommend these. However, just like purchasing any other aftermarket audio product, you should be prepared (physically and mentally) to modify the products in order to get everything to fit in your particular installation.

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17 of 17 found this helpful

Works for me!

Dennis from St Louis, MO on 1/4/2007

I've heard my 6 1/2" Polk DBs with and without the XTC's and prefer with; vocals and soundstage are more accurate.<BR><BR>A small speaker in a baffle is better damped than one in a big box, which is what the inside of a door is. Installers often glue carpet scraps to the back of door speakers to better damp the cones. Door speakers can't produce deep bass anyway. I use a powered subwoofer balanced to the doors, so dunno if XTCs reduce the bass.

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1 of 4 found this helpful

need to vent them

gary from crown point indiana on 9/28/2006

used these for kenwood 1660s in rear of 2000 dakota. if you just seal them around the speaker, sound is muffled and bass in non existant. i cut a 3" hole in the rear and what a difference...gave those inexpensive 1660s 5 star performance compared to being sealed. just a matter of physics.

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3 of 6 found this helpful

Okay for the money...

They're okay if you have the space for them. Sometimes even the slightest increase in the profile of your speakers can make them difficult to fit or close the grill over. I had this problem. The benefit would've been minimal anyhow. I tried my new speakers both ways and didn't notice much difference. My advice would be to use these if you know your speakers are very likely to be exposed to harsh moisture and dust.

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2 of 4 found this helpful

READ THIS....It might help

I had to write in a little advice after reading all the bad reviews..... Its amazing how smart people can forget basic physics. I can say that cuz I forgot them too......<BR><BR>These baffles are great when used properly. They are great protection for speakers in locations where they might be exposed to excessive dirt or moisture, such as doors. But lets not forget a speaker has got to move around to produce sound. These baffles are more or less air tight...if you simply stuff them in behind a speaker without any means of venting, it will basically "air lock" the speaker so it cant move very well. In addition, it blocks most of the energy from the rear of the speaker from entering the door or whatever cavity its mounted on. That is essential for good bass response. Cutting a good sized hole in the bottom side remedied both problems for me. The speaker is still well shielded from dripping water and falling dirt, and that way it gets all the air it needs to really pump out the sound.

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

Baffles

Paul from Chicopee, MA on 6/23/2006

I also bought these for my 97 Audi A4 for the 6 1/2 Polk speakers I bought from Crutchfield. The speakers ROCK!, but these simple baffles made them sound like a kids fisher price mono speaker. After reading the reviews today, I cut the baffles out and NIGHT AND DAY. I can't believe I even listened to my system with them installed as long as I did. I wouldn't waste the time with these at all...........besides, if they did work that well, alot of newer cars would have them installed already. Rock on!!!

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3 of 5 found this helpful

Awsome Just need to know what your doing

scottn from St. Louis MO on 6/20/2006

These are awsome. You just need to put in door and roll your window down so you can smash it in there. Then you apply alittle fiberglass resin. Slap some fiberglass on the back and inside and you have a great enclosure custom made for your door. As far as lacking good bass, they are door speakers come on now. I have always had subs for the low end.

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2 of 6 found this helpful

Baffled

I bought these baffles after I totally changed my cars stereo. I have a 2002 acura rsx, I bought an alpine cda-9855 head unit, an alpine mrp-f450 amp, boston acoustics sl65's coaxials for the rear and boston acoustics sl60 components in the front. The rear 6-1/2's weren't giving to much bass, and when you turned up the volume they are easily distorted, so I bought these baffles thinking that they would be the perfect solution, I figured they would act as a suspension to the cone. I was dead wrong. After putting these I had a significant loss in bass. These things definately didn't help my speakers sound better. Live and learn I guess, if you don't believe it then give them a try, they may work better if your only running your speakers off your head units internal amp, but the 70 watts rms that I have going to each speaker was to much for these things to handle, I would not recommend these things to anyone who is currently happy with there setup and thinks they may be able to squeeze out more bass, but if you think it might work do what I did and give it a try, there relatively cheap compared to other costs that go into car stereo equipment and at the very least they would definately protect your speaker from outside elements. <BR><BR>P.S. - I removed the baffles right after I installed them, if you want more bass, buy a subwoofer.

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4 of 5 found this helpful

No, no, no....

I got some nice Infinity 6012si speakers from Crutchfield for my Jeep Cherokee. I installed these baffles with them. I could not believe how badly my speakers sounded. I thought they must have been defective! My 10 year-old factory speakers sounded better. It's true, these really do make speakers sound like transistor radio speakers. At least they made mine sound that way. I ripped them out yesterday and now my speakers sound amazing... like they should.

When and When Not to use these...

These baffles are great for creating a very small enclosure around the back of your speaker creating a very tight and clean sound. DO NOT use these on your speakers if you want full bass though. Unless you have a separate sub hooked up, you should either cut the back off of these baffles or don't use them at all. I say cut the backs off because they make a great vibration seal around the edge and between the speaker and the frame of the car. The trunk of your car or the inside of the door makes a great, full sounding speaker box that is essential to deep, rich bass.

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8 of 8 found this helpful

These work in some situations

I bought these to initially get rid of a rattling/thwaking of plastic behind my front speakers. I never expected to receive stellar bass response from 6 1/2" speakers. The rattle was annyoing and I was worried about my speakers getting dirty, so I decided to spring for baffles. The install was a little more than I expected, but once in place, the front speakers stopped making a thwaking noise (they are not blown). I also installed some in the rear deck of my car, but I did not notice a huge difference in sound quality, except that I could crank them louder now without weird noises. If you realize that without a subwoofer in your car you won't get huge bass, you won't be disappointed by this product. Overall, I am happy with my purchase, and the peace of mind of knowing your speakers aren't filled with crap is also nice.

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5 of 5 found this helpful

Save yourself a headache

I bought these things over a year ago thinking I needed them w/ my Infinity Kappa install I was preparing for. I thought my speakers were crap until I got fed up and ripped these things out of the doors and reinstalled the 6.5" woofers w/o them. A world of difference. My brother called my car "the clock radio" that's how poor the bass response was. I don't know how well they work for a rear deck install but inside of a door they are a hinderance, not a help.

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6 of 7 found this helpful

It Sounded Like a Good Idea.

I thought this was a good idea. It will protect my speakers from the harsh elements, just like the salesmen say. Well, folks, that's why they call them salesmen. These baffles pop and rattle horribly at even mid volume. Think about it, these baffles are a speaker enclosure. You don't see many speaker cabinets made out of foam do you? I had to cut a hole in mine to stop the popping and distortion. I agree w/ Danny from Memphis, buy these at your own risk.<BR>P.S. The inside of your doors don't get that dirty anyway. <BR>

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6 of 7 found this helpful

XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles

I put these on my rear speakers in a hatchback. These were a great purchase. Before them I had lots of rattling/buzzing and poor bass response. After installing them it quieted the interior right down and the bass response was much improved.

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3 of 4 found this helpful

Don't do it!

I'll start by saying that I don't know how these work with full range speakers, but I ordered these for a pair of 6.5" components. After installation, my woofers really sounded bad- no bass and high distortion- and I thought I'd chosen a poor model of speakers. <BR>Then I read some reviews of these foam baffles on other sites, and they stated that door speakers are designed to go in car doors, and these baffles in effect confine the speaker to an enclosure MUCH smaller than what they are designed for. So today I went out, yanked the car doors, and used scissors to cut the back off these baffles. Wow, it's like new speakers. Even without my subs my mirrors are vibrating. <BR>In conclusion, INSTALL THESE AT YOUR OWN RISK! I intend to write Crutchfield about this product in the hopes that they will conduct some tests with these baffles.

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8 of 9 found this helpful

They look like funky little hats...

..but they really help out with 'exposed' speakers on rear decks. On our BMW the rear speakers did not really have any type of enclosure so these really help them out. A small price to pay for getting the most out of your speakers!

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5 of 7 found this helpful

Great Concept Could Be Improved

John from Detroit, Michigan on 5/5/2005

Okay, I installed these yesterday behind my Polk Audio db650 speakers in a 2004 Jeep Liberty, and I definitely think they help keep my music projected into the vehicle space instead of bouncing around inside the door cavity, plus they protect the backside of my new speakers from any crud that might make its way into that space. Install was easy - a small slit along the side for the speaker wire connections is all it takes, then you simply mount the speaker right over them.<BR><BR>It occurs to me that his product *could* be made even better by simply bonding some DynaMat Extreme to the inside of the foam baffle. Of course, I suppose you could always line these with your own DynaMat product, but wouldn't it be just great if it was already fabricated for you ? While we're at it, why not rounded edges instead of square ? Aren't like 90-95% of all car speakers round ? And price them at $10.00 per pair - then you'd have a good value for a great new product. Frankly, $7.99 retail seems steep for a hunk of molded foam.<BR><BR>I gave these a "three" rating. Buy them if want a little extra protection for your speakers. Otherwise, wait until a better product comes along. Are you listening Crutchfield/DynaMat/XTC ?